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I only use the chatgpt desktop app for quick throwaway interactions. For anything more involved, I want a tab and an URL. Perfect use case for a webapp, native

I only use the chatgpt desktop app for quick throwaway interactions. For anything more involved, I want a tab and an URL. Perfect use case for a webapp, native is pointless for this, especially if it's just a webview.

stephencoyner 2y ago
Native desktop apps give these companies access to more system-level functions which will be super useful for... - Voice dictation / interactions - Agents accessing other applications and controlling your desktop - Agents performing background tasks like continuous monitoring, periodic data processing, or ongoing analysis I would expect to see these kind of features start to take off next year
- lambdaba 2y ago
  Oh I agree, but this is definitely not it, I don't understand why Anthropic released this, other than squatting the same keyboard shortcut the ChatGPT app uses, with no ability to change it :P.
  - stephencoyner 2y ago
    By not it, do you mean those features aren’t available yet, or you don’t see the value in them?
    - lambdaba 2y ago
      I do see value, but the Claude app is just a webview with a keyboard shortcut, I don't even think it has voice dictation, I uninstalled it immediately.
  - kristjansson 2y ago
    The shortcut can be changed. Open the app settings from the menu bar, or the usual Command-, shortcut, and it's the only setting they expose.
  - miguelspizza 2y ago
    Chat UIs are really the perfect candidate for a localfirst PWA. I have no idea why they are being built as either a full desktop app or UI where nothing is stored on device. You’d think with all the funding these companies have they’d make better technical decisions
- ethbr1 2y ago
  Also data mining! :)
  - nicce 2y ago
    > - Agents performing background tasks like continuous monitoring, periodic data processing, or ongoing analysis Who said that this was to help the end user!
- moffkalast 2y ago
  Hmm yes, I don't see any issues giving a corporate controlled model with the operational precision of a coin toss full access to my entire system. There is absolutely nothing that could ever go wrong. Nah but seriously, can we start a counter of how many times a chatbot agent has deleted someone's system32 because it was trained on data of the average tech forum?
- freedomben 2y ago
  You're not wrong, but I'm willing to guess the biggest reason is: Analytics
  - alwayslikethis 2y ago
    You can also do a filesystem scan pretty easily. Both for useful features, as well as spying.
    - dzhiurgis 2y ago
      That requires user to accept permissions (which lately macos giving so many popups made me fatigued and accept everything)
runjake 2y ago
> For anything more involved, I want a tab and an URL. Why, exactly?
- triyambakam 2y ago
  Probably for bookmarking or working iteratively over different sessions on the interaction and allowing more than one session at a time.
  - JKCalhoun 2y ago
    Or sharing.
    - runako 2y ago
      Can share links from the native ChatGPT app.
      - gitaarik 2y ago
        And where does it link to?
        runako 2y ago
        https://chatgpt.com/share/<chat https://chatgpt.com/share/<chat GUID> This will open in the native app if it's installed, and on the Web if not. Basically, it works like any modern app link.
  - jen729w 2y ago
    Also works really nicely with your shared-cloud-tab provider of choice. If I have a tab open {anywhere} I know it's accessible {everywhere}.
  - runjake 2y ago
    Thanks. After using the Claude app, I noticed several things lacking. The ChatGPT Mac app is significantly better, IMHO. For some reason, I expected the same from Anthropic, but the Claude app, in its current state, is quite inferior.

stephencoyner 2y ago

Native desktop apps give these companies access to more system-level functions which will be super useful for... - Voice dictation / interactions - Agents accessing other applications and controlling your desktop - Agents performing background tasks like continuous monitoring, periodic data processing, or ongoing analysis I would expect to see these kind of features start to take off next year

lambdaba 2y ago
Oh I agree, but this is definitely not it, I don't understand why Anthropic released this, other than squatting the same keyboard shortcut the ChatGPT app uses, with no ability to change it :P.
- stephencoyner 2y ago
  By not it, do you mean those features aren’t available yet, or you don’t see the value in them?
  - lambdaba 2y ago
    I do see value, but the Claude app is just a webview with a keyboard shortcut, I don't even think it has voice dictation, I uninstalled it immediately.
- kristjansson 2y ago
  The shortcut can be changed. Open the app settings from the menu bar, or the usual Command-, shortcut, and it's the only setting they expose.
- miguelspizza 2y ago
  Chat UIs are really the perfect candidate for a localfirst PWA. I have no idea why they are being built as either a full desktop app or UI where nothing is stored on device. You’d think with all the funding these companies have they’d make better technical decisions
ethbr1 2y ago
Also data mining! :)
- nicce 2y ago
  > - Agents performing background tasks like continuous monitoring, periodic data processing, or ongoing analysis Who said that this was to help the end user!
moffkalast 2y ago
Hmm yes, I don't see any issues giving a corporate controlled model with the operational precision of a coin toss full access to my entire system. There is absolutely nothing that could ever go wrong. Nah but seriously, can we start a counter of how many times a chatbot agent has deleted someone's system32 because it was trained on data of the average tech forum?
freedomben 2y ago
You're not wrong, but I'm willing to guess the biggest reason is: Analytics
- alwayslikethis 2y ago
  You can also do a filesystem scan pretty easily. Both for useful features, as well as spying.
  - dzhiurgis 2y ago
    That requires user to accept permissions (which lately macos giving so many popups made me fatigued and accept everything)

runjake 2y ago

> For anything more involved, I want a tab and an URL. Why, exactly?

triyambakam 2y ago
Probably for bookmarking or working iteratively over different sessions on the interaction and allowing more than one session at a time.
- JKCalhoun 2y ago
  Or sharing.
  - runako 2y ago
    Can share links from the native ChatGPT app.
    - gitaarik 2y ago
      And where does it link to?
      - runako 2y ago
        https://chatgpt.com/share/<chat https://chatgpt.com/share/<chat GUID> This will open in the native app if it's installed, and on the Web if not. Basically, it works like any modern app link.
- jen729w 2y ago
  Also works really nicely with your shared-cloud-tab provider of choice. If I have a tab open {anywhere} I know it's accessible {everywhere}.
- runjake 2y ago
  Thanks. After using the Claude app, I noticed several things lacking. The ChatGPT Mac app is significantly better, IMHO. For some reason, I expected the same from Anthropic, but the Claude app, in its current state, is quite inferior.